Dinning out with your little ones...

Quality time equals dinning out at a nice restaurant?  

Not true if it involves your preschoolers. 

When both of my little ones were younger than they are now, which is not so long ago, I used to find fine dining a test of my mothering abilities. To be able to make your little ones forget that they are children and pretend to be adults seemed to be a qualifying factor of whether the kids were well-behaved or not, and the only way to avoid the unwanted gazes from not-with-kids-diners. And then there was always this on-your-toes-guarding to ensure that the place and all that is on the table stays unbroken and intact, while your toddler explored or showed signs of tantrums. If you add all this up it equals to more work for the mother and the children, and not much fun - unless you are not very good at deductive logic.

This might be the very reason why McDonalds is so popular. It is a place where children are expected to be children – a saving grace for both the parents and the kids.

However, I have made some adjustments to my viewpoints. Part of the reason for this change is that my kids are slightly older and more independent - enough to enjoy a meal with least amount of my help, which means mommy can also get to enjoy what’s on her plate, and they take my ‘no’ more seriously now, or at least I like to believe so. Another reason is that both of my kids are good communicators (just sounds better than chatty). And hence dining becomes a place when their mother is not busy serving or thinking about the next errand to do, and can simply listening with a relaxed mind and body.   

Yes, but having said all this, you do need a good restaurant that provides them some level of entertainment at some point at least. One of my favourites, is Moxie’s Classic Grill - a casual fine dining. Not only do they have a good kids’ meal selection and their own individual kids menu to hold, but the highlight is the way they excite the kids' imagination with their especially-made-for-kids-dessert.  If you haven’t visited Moxie’s then let me go ahead and spoil the surprise for you, it is an Ice-cream Dessert Volcano. I think this dessert alone has been enough to keep my kids bribed into wearing their adult-behaving-mannerism. 

So my adjusted perception: as long as the dining places do provide some element of ‘childrenism’, it can be a refreshing and bonding time for the whole family!  Do tell me about your quality time at a fine restaurant…